Europe Asia News

German Foreign Minister Wadephul spoke at a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg about protecting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe.

Addressing Russia’s war against Ukraine, Wadephul said Russia’s aggression no longer ends at Ukraine’s borders. He said attacks on Ukrainian ports were disrupting grain exports, while European countries were experiencing cyberattacks and acts of sabotage targeting critical infrastructure.

Wadephul argued that Russia was conducting broad propaganda and disinformation campaigns, claiming that these activities were aimed at weakening democratic institutions and undermining European countries’ support for Ukraine.

Wadephul said Germany would continue to stand by Ukraine, adding that after the war ends, the Council of Europe could play an important role in Ukraine’s reconstruction and in ensuring accountability for war crimes.

Wadephul said the Council of Europe had contributed to establishing the institutional foundations for justice and compensation through mechanisms such as the Register of Damage for Ukraine, the International Compensation Commission and a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. He added that Germany would complete the approval process for its participation in the Damage Compensation Commission by the end of the year.

In his speech, Wadephul stressed that democracy, human rights and the rule of law are the core values of the Council of Europe, saying that more resilient democracy is needed in the face of digital interaction, artificial intelligence and threats to democratic institutions.

Wadephul also said the Council of Europe should play a role in developing common standards in the fields of new technologies and artificial intelligence, highlighting the importance of the Parliamentary Assembly bringing together parliamentarians with different political views in an environment of dialogue.